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Saturday, December 7. 2013

I recently had a chat with my 4-Star Paris-trained chef friend about special creams. I learned a few things.

For starters, she said that Creme Fraiche and Sour Cream are culinarily identical, but you pay more if the label says Creme Fraiche which is only slightly lighter in weight. I already saved you a few bucks, because now you can put ordinary sour cream on your mixed-berry dessert.

Clotted Cream, or Devonshire Cream, is what you put on your scones and crumpets and strumpets. Excellent flavor on strumpets. Here's what it is. She said you can get it at Whole Foods, but I won't go there.

Good old Whipped Cream requires no comment.

Somewhat related -

- When I was a kid, Mom used to make Junket for dessert. I thought it was good, but nobody makes Junket anymore. (She made Jello dessert too with a squirt of Reddi-Whip, and Coffee Jello was my favorite.) Maybe some chef could spruce up Junket and bring it back into fashion.

- English Custard (Sauce). A classic for Bread Pudding, Plum Pudding, and other Brit puddings and desserts. Simple and delicious. Pour it on.

If you haven't tried scones with clotted cream (and jam/jelly) please, please do. It's a combination made in heaven. Best eaten with English (breakfast) tea.
Custard (your recipe is excellent; the French call it Creme Anglaise) is also wonderful and is, essentially, the base for creme brulee.

Sour cream will curdle under heat; Creme Fraiche won't (it has a much higher fat content and lower protein content). Use Creme Fraiche in hot dishes so you don't look like you slept through culinary school.

I remember junket and tapioca quite well, Flan too. But for some reason I can't eat them. My wife makes flan and enjoys it I have yet to try it. The look or texture or bad memories of tapioca or whatever just turns me off. I never liked jello either but still ate a lot of it as a kid. Then there is that unfortunate name "clotted"...

I've been married to an English woman for over 20 yrs. She has only ever made custard from Bird's custard powder. Her mother was an excellent cook, she also used Bird's. In fact, I don't know anyone over there who doesn't use Bird's to make custard!

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